Thursday, June 14, 2007

Town police chief in Lanao Sur shot dead

By Ronron
June 13, 2007

A police officer in Lanao del Sur province was shot dead inside his office Tuesday afternoon by a suspected drug addict, officials said.

In a report, Chief Supt. Joel Goltiao, chief of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said Insp. Bernie Alejandro, chief of the Masiu Municipal Police Office, was killed at around 1pm.

The suspected gunman was identified as a certain Hadji Ibrahim Pangalian, who was able to escape after the incident.

South Cotabato Provincial Police commander Sr. Supt. Pangalawan Ampatua said Alejandro sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the neck from the pistol of an unknown caliber used by Pangalian.

“They know each other. That’s why the suspect was able to enter the office of my police officer there. It’s just that the suspect was allegedly high on illegal drugs at that time,” Ampatua said when asked of the motive behind the incident.

Ampatua said Pangalian, who is a relative of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, led towards the mountainous boundary of Masiu and Lumbayanague towns after the incident.

“Three teams of 15th Regional Mobile Group led by Chief Inspector Harold Ballangan are now in the area conducting pursuit operations purposely to arrest the suspect,” Goltiao said.

“Municipal officials of Masiu are negotiating for the surrender and turn-over of the suspect to the authorities,” he added.

Ampatua said Pangalian will be charged with murder.

The remains, meanwhile of Alejandro, were brought to Marawi City for proper disposition, Goltiao said.

Masiu was among the 13 towns in Lanao del Sur where elections failed on May 14 due to threats of violence from political families. The voting was moved to May 26th and was eventually completed that day./DMS

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